Blessings Even Now

All around us, change is taking place. The leaves are changing colors. The weather is getting colder and cloudier. Why is change so hard for a lot of us to deal with when it comes to life? I mean change is inevitable in everyone's lives. We all change. Why do some changes not sit well with us? The majority of the time it's because we do not hold the key to the door. God is the One who opens and closes the doors of life. When He opens a door, we so strongly hold back, because we don't trust what's behind the door. But we need to know that any door God opens will lead to somewhere better than the hallway you were just in. That each door opened leads to something better than we could imagine. And each closed door guides us to another door opened, we might just have to wait where we are for a little bit for the door to be revealed.

So often, we try to navigate life like an escape room. If you've ever done an escape room, you know you try to get out in a certain amount of time. And often times, getting out requires going through many doors that you have to try to figure out how to open first. Every escape room I've done, we've needed help from the workers, some guidance that might help us escape. Often, we view our lives as an escape room. We are just trying to get out of this season and we don't want any help doing it.

1. We are just trying to get out of this season. Many people are itching to get out of where they are in life. Whether it be getting out of their parents house, getting out of your house/apartment and moving somewhere else, changing schools, wanting to be done with school, getting out of singleness, the engagement stage, the newlywed stage, getting a new job, wanting your kids to be in a different season, wanting work to go this or that way. All of these stages of life are precious. We never realize how precious a stage of life is until we're looking back at it. So how do we move from a discontent mindset into being content? I would say see the blessings. There are blessings in the season you're in and the negative attitude and thoughts you have about it may be blinding you from those blessings. Ecclesiastes 3 says that there is a time for everything. And the God who has ordained everyday of your life can be trusted with the timing of the seasons He has placed you in. Secondly, recognize that God has placed you here and you're not here by accident.

But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 1 Corinthians 12:18. This verse is talking about the different parts of the body and how we all have different gifts. Likewise, every part of the body is placed where it is supposed to be so it can work the most efficiently. Where we are placed is purposeful and if we were not placed right where we are, we wouldn't be as efficient.

When we attempt to pass by God's open door, we are telling Him that we do not want to be used as efficiently as we can be. When God opens a door and we try to pass it, we are denying bringing God glory with the way we live. He does all things for His glory and our good. He knows what is best and to deny an open door is saying that's not true. Because if we knew and trusted without a doubt that He knew what was best, why wouldn't we run through that open door? Ah, because the child wants to hold the key, and thinks they know best. Can you imagine if you held the key? How many doors you would open that would lead to death, sorrow, and despair?

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. -Isaiah 55:8-9. His ways are higher. They are better. Trust the key holder.

2. We don't want any help getting through the doors. We don't want help getting through the doors, but we have no key. See the dilemma here? It's this struggle we have with wanting control and trusting that the doors He opens are good or have good endings. From the beginning of time, this has been the struggle of man. Wanting control and trusting God. Why did the fall happen? They wanted control and didn't trust God's words. How do we get better at this? Know He is faithful. He is perfectly and always faithful. You can trust His words. His Word says that He works ALL things for the good of those who love Him. (Romans 8:28). For the good. His plan is good. It doesn't mean every moment will be good, but it all will work out for good, your good. The second part of this is more challenging and is a daily battle, surrender. We are a people who desire and are desperate for control. Just surrender. Stop trying to keep the door closed when He's opening it or slam the door open when He is closing it. You don't have the key or the lock. The doors He locks are protection, the doors He unlocks are provision. Locked and unlocked, they are just the same, blessings.

View it all as blessing. Be thankful where you are. Thankful for the open doors that hold the things to come and be thankful for the closed doors that hold things that weren't meant to come, maybe now, maybe never. But just see that where you are required you to walk through open doors and walk passed the closed ones. You've done it all before, continue to do it. Instead of trying to get out of the season you're in, trust it. Trust that He has you right where you are for a reason. A good reason. Instead of not wanting help, call on Him, and He will answer you. Let Him be your strength to hold out for the open door, instead of busting down a locked door. Busting down doors He never intended you to open leaves God on the sidelines and it takes us losing the entire game to realize we left Him out of the equation. Trying to be God never works out, because He sees more than we do, and life is never as simple as we think. Every choice He makes, whether to close or open a door, is for good. It is not ever made without intention. He is a God of order, purpose, and precision. So, run through the open doors, run from the closed doors. Stop knocking on a locked door or slamming closed an open door just because you're not sure He got this one right. He did. God making a mistake is not an option. He made the right decision. Trust the hallway He has you in and trust all the decisions He makes with His key.